Exercisers



July 26, 1955 A. B. URBAN EXERCISERS Filed June 1953 'IIIIIII MM (I'll,

I VENTOR' 19722720725 Clrdarz United States Patent O EXEB EERS AnthonyB. Urban,--Chicago,;lll. APRUWJ' QH 1 99 .5, .9. S a 1 19 2 Glaims. (61.272 -839 My invention relates to devices employed for manual exercise,and more particularly to such devices. as are of a portable nature andemploying springs. Accordingly, it is one object of the presentinvention to provide an exerciser which is in the form of a bar andincludes one or more springs designed to be tensioned when portions ofthe bar are maneuvered.

A further object is to employ a bar of the type referred to whichincludes one or more springs interposed between its sections atlocations corresponding to the type of exercise desired.

A still further object is to provide an exerciser which includes afacility for exercising the arms, and is convertible to include asimilar facility for exercising the wrists.

An additional object is to design the novel exerciser in a compact,elongated form, whereby to favor its storage in a narrow space.

Another object is to construct the exerciser as an assembled articlewhich may be dismantled for packing in a compact bundle.

An important object is to include a minimum number of parts in the novelexerciser, whereby to render its manufacturing cost relatively low.

With the above objects in view, a better understanding of the inventionmay be had by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. l isan elevation of the novel exerciser in the form designed for exercisingthe arms;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the exerciser converted to the form designedfor exercising the wrists; and

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are, respectively, sections on the lines 3-3, 44 and 55of Fig. 2.

In accordance with the foregoing, specific reference to the drawingindicates the main portion of the exerciser as a pair of alined bars and11 which are spaced endw1se. is preferable for purposes of smoothnessand compactness to make them of circular cross-section, as shown in Fig.3.

A sturdy coil spring 14 is designed to be interposed between the innerends of the bars 10 and 11; and the latter are formed with reductions 15designed to receive and support the end portions of the spring, as shownin Fig. l. The diameter of the spring is substantially the same as thatof the bar 11, so as to render the spring a continuation thereof.

While the spring 14 is supported endwise by the bars 10 and 11, asstated, no direct means are employed to attach the spring to the bars inorder to connect the latter to the spring and against separation, thisbeing for the reason that attaching devices between a sturdy spring anda support would either be too large in order to hold, or too weak ifmade small or compact. Accordingly, other means are employed for thecontemplated purpose, such means primarily residing in a spring of smalldiameter passing through the center of the spring 14. The bars 10 and 11are made with facing longitudinal cavities 21 into which the endportions of the internal spring While these bars may be of anycross-section, it

- 2,714,008 Patented July 26,

2 20 "lodge to a considerable extent. Set screws '22 passed through theextensions 15 are directed against the internal spring to complete theattachment thereof to the bars.

The form ofexerciser illustrated in Fig. '1 is completed by endwiseextension with handlebars '25 In order to attach the latter to the bars10 and 11, such bars are extended at their outer ends with reducedsections 27, while the handlebars 25 are extended inwardly with similarreduced sections 28. The facing ends of the bars 10 and "11 and thehandlebars 25 are formed with facing bores 30, and a dowel 31 is lodgedin such bore s, the dowel being fixed in position by the driving ofscrews '32 through the bars into engagement with the dowel. It is nowseen that the dowels 31 form rigid connecting means between thehandlebars and the main bars 10 and 11. With the exerciser constitutedas described, gathering the handlebars 25 to arch the spring 14 willrequire the exertion of the arms with a rotary motion and constitute anexercise for the same. 7

In order to convert the exerciser into the form designed for theexercising of the wrists, the exerciser is constituted as shown in Fig.2. Here, the main bars 10 and 11 are shown gathered endwise; and theyare secured in the gathered position by the lodging of the dowel 31 inthe cavities 21, set screws 35 being applied through the bars to securethe dowel in place. The exerciser is thus made rigid in the center.

The converted form of the exerciser employs a pair of shorter coilsprings 37 between the outer ends of the main bars 10 and 11 and thehandlebars 25; and a pair of internal springs 38 is disposed within thesprings 37. The outer and inner springs are connected to the adjoiningbars in the same manner as was described in connection with the disposalof the spring 14 in the original structure, so that the modifiedexerciser is formed with flexible elements near the ends instead of inthe center. Now, when the handlebars 25 are swung toward each other, thetendency to curve the springs 37 involves the twisting of the wrists,this constituting an exercise for the same.

It will now be evident that the novel exerciser has a number ofadvantageous features. First, it embodies a pair of rigid elements atthe ends which may be maneuvered to arch a yieldable element in thecenter, the re sistance of the latter requiring the effort of the armsto flex the exerciser, and such effort constitutes an exercise. Further,the exercise is convertible by simply dismantling the same and changingthe order of assembly in a manner to provide springs in terminal regionsand therefore require strength in the wrists in order to fiex theexerciser, this also forming an exercise. Further, the exerciser is in along, one-piece form, which is simple to handle and similar to anexercising wand. Further, the exerciser is constructed in a manner to bereadtily dis mantled and assembled into either form by simple meansfamiliarto any person. Further, the exerciser utilizes simple andconcealed means to secure its sections to each other and to a spring orsprings intermediate thereof, retaining the neat and compact form of thedevice. Finally, the parts entering into the novel exerciser are of anature readily available or produced by conventional shop methods,rendering the cost of the exerciser reasonable.

While I have described the invention along specific lines, various minorchanges or refinements may be made in either of its forms withoutdeparting from its principle, and I reserve the right to employ all suchchanges and refinements as may come within the scope and spirit of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. An exerciser comprising an elongated bar formed of two sectionsseparated endwise, handles carried by the outer ends of the sections,and tension means between the sections designed to resist manual effortto swing the sections at an angle from each other, said tension meanscomprising a coil spring with ends applied to the inner ends of saidsections, the same having cavities in the facing ends, an internal coilspring extending within the first-mentioned coil spring, the endportions of the in ternal coil spring loading in said'cavities, andmeans to secure said end portions to the respective sections.

2. An exerciser comprising an elongated bar formed of two sectionsseparated endwise, handles carried by the outer ends of the sections,and tension means between the sections designed to resist manual effortto swing the sections at an angle from each other, said tension meanscomprising a coil spring'with ends applied to the inner ends of saidsections, the same having cavities in the facing ends, an internal coilspring extending within the first-mentioned coil spring, the endportions of the in- ,4 ternal coil spring lodging in said cavities, andset screws to secure said end portions to the respective sections.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,587Great Britain 1899

